News

Professor and Vermont EPSCoR researcher earns recognition for service in the field of arts and science.

September 20, 2016

Donna Rizzo, PhD, a Professor at the University of Vermont (UVM) and faculty researcher with Vermont EPSCoR, was inducted into the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences (VAAS) on Saturday, September 17th.

VAAS reported that "Dr. Rizzo was nominated because of the quality of her teaching and service as evidenced by all of the awards she has received at UVM. The Trustees were also excited to hear about her research, particularly her work on the problem of pollution in ground water. Her nominator mentioned that she is "...a superb teacher and mentor, inspiring many students, especially women, to carry on careers in engineering" and that "[she is] a critical part of Vermont EPSCoR that is focusing its attention on the health of Lake Champlain."

Dr. Rizzo has performed research focused on the development of new computational tools that are designed to help understand the full impact of human-induced climate change on Vermont's natural systems. She has served as a faculty member in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) at UVM since 2002, where she has worked on a number of different computational approaches to environmental problems.

Created in 1965, the VAAS is designed to foster a greater participation in both the arts and the world of science in the state of Vermont. Prior to her appointment at UVM, Dr. Rizzo taught English to children in Germany and received her Masters of Fine Art in Studio Art at the University of Florence in Italy. On the science side of things, she received a BS in civil engineering and a Master's degree in the field before becoming the first graduate of the Civil & Environmental Engineering PhD program at UVM.

Several distinguished members of the UVM community were also present for Dr. Rizzo's induction, including Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, PhD, the Chair of the Department of Geography and Judith Van Houten, VT State EPSCoR Director and University Distinguished Professor. Dr. Dupigny-Giroux introduced Susan Wallace, PhD, the Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at UVM, who was also inducted into VAAS.

Vermont EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) has supported research at Vermont's colleges and universities with funds from the National Science Foundation and local sources since 1986. The impact of the EPSCoR program also includes the private sector - particularly small, technology-based businesses.

Vermont EPSCoR will once again provide the opportunity for Vermont small businesses to compete for awards to foster research and development projects which will lead to applications to federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

Program Overview
The main goal of the Vermont EPSCoR Phase (0) solicitation is to identify proposals that show promise for success in federal SBIR/STTR competitions and that would benefit from financial support and reviewer comments. As such, each proposal should identify at least one federal SBIR/STTR program to which the work is targeted.

* Business must be registered in Vermont.

* The maximum amount of each SBIR/STTR Phase (0) award is 15,000.

* Funding may not be used to support Masters Students' salaries.

* Multiple-year Vermont EPSCoR Phase (0) awardees must take a 1 year break from submission after their third consecutive successful award.

* Awards contingent upon NSF funding for Vermont EPSCoR.

* One award will also be made in areas of interest to NASA using NASA-EPSCoR funds. To show that an area is of interest to NASA, the PI should identify their proposed project with a new or continuing NASA research priority or technology need. This can be done by reference to a URL on a NASA website or by including an email of support from a NASA contact. The project has to include a full-time faculty researcher at a Vermont college or university as a collaborator. Only NASA projects carry this requirement.

VAAS Fellows must have made an extraordinary contribution to the arts, humanities, science, or teaching, per the organization's guidelines. These contributions must have a demonstrable impact on life within the state of Vermont.

For more information about VAAS, please visit www.vaas.us.

VT EPSCoR is very happy to welcome Mike Winslow as the Coordinator of the VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development & Diversity at Saint Michael's College(CWDD).

Mike has an outstanding career in environmental advocacy, research and teaching. For the past 15 years, he worked as a staff scientist for the Lake Champlain Committee and authored Lake Champlain: A Natural History.

He holds a MS in Botany from the University of Vermont and a BS from St. Lawrence University in Biology/Environmental Studies.

Mike has served on numerous community area committees, and prior to his work with the Lake Champlain Committee, Mike worked for many years in the field of education as a classroom science teacher.

Dr. Judith Van Houten, VT State EPSCoR Director, is pleased to welcome Mike to his new position. "We are thrilled that Mike has joined our efforts and look forward to the perspective that he will bring to the program."

Mike can be reached at mwinslow@smcvt.edu

Please join in welcoming Mike Winslow to VT EPSCoR!

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Students Receive a Total of $40,000 in Scholarships for STEM Scholarships

Eight Vermont college students received a total of $40,000 in VT EPSCoR Native American and First-Generation College Student Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) at the Vermont State House.

Patricia Moulton, then Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, presented the students with their awards and encouraged them to consider a career in Vermont. The location in front of Vermont's capital city of Montpelier served as a reminder to students of the many career opportunities available to them in the state. Initiatives such as this scholarship program serve to help improve the quality of the STEM workforce in Vermont.

The VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD) at Saint Michael's College offers these scholarships on an annual basis as a way of encouraging a diverse range of students to pursue STEM careers. The competitive scholarships help to defray college expenses and enable young Vermonters to pursue degrees and careers focused on STEM fields.

Each of the students selected for a scholarship has shown an interest in pursuing a STEM career and is either of Native American ancestry or the first in their family to attend a four-year college. Individual recipients received a $5,000 award that ensures that these Vermont students will attend a Vermont college or university in the coming academic year, either as new attendees or returning undergraduates.

The scholarships are awarded based on academic standing, an essay written by the students, and letters of recommendation. For more information about this scholarship opportunity or to apply, visit .

2016 Scholarship Awardees:

Emily Cass is the recipient of a First-Generation Scholarship. A recent graduate of Randolph Union High School, she is currently pursuing a degree in mathematics at the University of Vermont.

Daniel Cliche was chosen to receive a First-Generation Scholarship. He is a graduate of Lyndon Institute and is pursuing a major in environmental engineering at the University of Vermont.

Joshua Dam received a First-Generation Scholarship. A graduate of Vergennes Union High School, he is currently attending the University of Vermont in pursuit of a degree in civil engineering.

Kyle Dash is the recipient of a First-Generation Scholarship and is a graduate of Harwood Union High School. He is currently attending Castleton College and plans to major in environmental science.

Steven Gilbeau was chosen for a First-Generation Scholarship. He is currently continuing his education at the Community College of Vermont and plans to pusure an associate's degree in STEM studies.

Ena Ibrisimovic is a recipient of a First-Generation Scholarship and is currently enrolled at the University of Vermont. A graduate of Burlington High School, she is currently seeking a chemistry major.

Bridget Kimsey received a Native American Scholarship. Having completed a Bachelor's in Fine Arts at New York University in 1997, she is not enrolled at the Community College of Vermont, which she plans to use as a springboard into conducting research in pathology.

Erikka Sherman is the recipient of a Native American Scholarship. She graduated from Missisquoi Valley Union High School and is a junior at Saint Michael's College, where she plans to major in mathematics and elementary education.

Applications for 2017 scholarship will open in November 2016. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2017. For more information, please contact:

The Vermont EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD)
One Winooski Park, Box 137
Saint Michael's College
Colchester, Vermont 05439
802-654-3270
cwdd@smcvt.edu

On September 6-9 Vermont EPSCoR's CWDD Outreach Team Leader Veronica Sosa-Gonzalez delivered talks to several universities in Puerto Rico. She talked to about 150 students at the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras, 40 at Universidad del Este, 70 at Universidad Metropolitana and 20 at Universidad del Turabo.

Veronica discussed Vermont EPSCoR summer internship opportunities as well as her experiences as a graduate student. Each talk encouraged students to get a doctoral degree and to pursue a career in a STEM field.

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Dr. Andrew Schroth, leader of the BREE Ecological Systems Group talks about why nutrients like phosphorus are important to understanding algae blooms.
This program was originally aired on Vermont Edition on 9/13/2016.

Clouds of tiny insects, rising and falling hypnotically along lake shores, contribute to the ambiance of warm summer evenings. My recent bike ride was interrupted by a lungful of this ambiance.

If you find yourself in a similar predicament, you might wonder what these miniscule flies were doing before being swallowed, where they came from, whether they bite, and whether we need these interrupters of peaceful lakeside jaunts. We'll get to these questions, but first, let me say that as an ecologist, I find these insects to be among the most fascinating and important freshwater invertebrates.

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ST. ALBANS — A University of Vermont (UVM) researcher has received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study a key driver of algal blooms in the Missisquoi Bay.

Andrew Schroth, an Assistant Research Professor of Geology at UVM and a Science Leader for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), received the $247,774 grant to study phosphorous-ion dynamics in the sediment and water of the Missisquoi Bay.

Phosphorous is a major waterway pollutant, responsible for the spread and survival of cyanobacteria, the toxic “blue-green algae” that has begun regularly cropping up in local water bodies.

Justin Guibert, a PhD candidate with Vermont EPSCoR, presenting his doctoral dissertation defense on Thursday, August 25, 2016. The defense, "The Impacts of Climate Change on Precipitation and Hydrology in the Northeastern United States," examined trends in precipitation in the northeast and specifically in the Lake Champlain Basin area.

Summary: Today, the White House highlighted innovative ways that states, local communities, and the private sector are investing in disaster resilience.

Across the country, individuals, communities, businesses, and governments are taking action to improve their ability to withstand and recover quickly from extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and other impacts of climate change. Disaster mitigation activities include adopting stronger building codes, restoring floodplains and streams, and retrofitting roofs to hurricane-resistant standards -- all of which help to reduce the loss of life and property and enable communities to recover more quickly in the aftermath of a disaster.

Investing in disaster mitigation and resilience before an extreme event occurs can provide significant cost-savings for homeowners, local communities, the private sector, and the Federal government. In 2005, a three-year, Congressionally-mandated independent study concluded that every $1 the Federal Emergency Management Agency spends on hazard mitigation saves society an average of $4. The 2016 National Preparedness Report estimated that the $8 million that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and The Nature Conservancy invested in the Fisher Slough Marsh restoration project will save that Washington State community up to $21 million over the next 50 years and reduce flooding on as many as 600 nearby acres. The need for these investments is critical. The U.S. has experienced a significant increase in billion-dollar disasters since 1980, and has already recorded eight billion-dollar disasters in the first six months of 2016.

The Vermont Journal of Environmental Law (VJEL) at Vermont Law School is proud to announce the publication of a timely new set of information and perspectives on the Lake Champlain restoration plan recently approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the federal Clean Water Act.

In June the EPA issued a document referred to as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) that assigns responsibility to landowners, farmers, and businesses for reducing the levels of phosphorus they are responsible for introducing into Lake Champlain. The "Lake Champlain Edition" of the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law (Volume 17, Issue 4) provides helpful and interesting insights into the scientific, policy and legal implications of this groundbreaking plan.

Editors Trey Martin, deputy secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and David Mears, VLS vice dean and professor of law, are joined by an impressive array of scientists, government officials, policy experts and attorneys in presenting a top-to-bottom analysis of the TMDL.

"The 'Lake Champlain Edition' of the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how science, policy and law are intertwined in the efforts by the state, the EPA and the many Vermont businesses, citizens and farmers who are working to restore Lake Champlain," Mears said.

The Vermont Journal of Environmental Law "Lake Champlain Edition" is available online at vjel.vermontlaw.edu. For more information about the issue, including obtaining a printed copy, email VJEL Editor-in-Chief Joseph Simpson at josephsimpson@vermontlaw.edu. VJEL plans to produce copies for sale and distribution if there is sufficient demand.

The Vermont Journal of Environmental Law's mission is to provide an accessible forum to discuss contemporary environmental legal issues. VJEL publishes articles authored by academics, practitioners, and students alike. In selecting articles, VJEL editors recognize that environmental issues are inexorably linked with many other areas of law and seek to encompass a broad range of viewpoints and attitudes. In addition to publishing quarterly issues and hosting symposiums, VJEL reaches national audiences through its annual Top 10 Environmental Watch List. For more information about the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, visit vjel.vermontlaw.edu.

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SwarmFest is the annual meeting of the Swarm Development Group (SDG), and one of the oldest communities involved in the development and propagation of agent-based modeling. SwarmFest has traditionally involved a mix of both tool-users and tool-developers, drawn from many domains of expertise. These have included, in the past, computer scientists, software engineers, biomedical researchers, ecologists, economists, political scientists, social scientists, resource management specialists and evolutionary biologists. SwarmFest represents a low-key environment for researchers to explore new ideas and approaches, and benefit from a multi-disciplinary environment.

Dr. Andrew Schroth, VT EPSCoR Science Leader and Research Assistant Professor of Geology at the University of Vermont, has been awarded a three-year award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study phosphorus (P) loading from lake sediments in Lake Champlain. The collaborative award that will have implications for freshwater systems also includes Dr. Greg Druschel, Adjunct Associate Professor of Geology at the University of Vermont and Associate Professor, Earth Sciences, at Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis. The award brings in $250,000 to the University of Vermont. Phosphorus is particularly important to understand in Vermont given the new Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)s established by the EPA for Lake Champlain, as well as its role in promoting and sustaining algal blooms. Schroth explained that this award "stems directly from our collaboration in Research on Adaptation to Climate Change in the Lake Champlain Basin (RACC) and is a logical next step towards improving our understanding phosphorus in Lake Champlain. We envision that this work will provide insights on improving water quality, and ideas around the potential use of legacy pollutant phosphorus in a world where accessible P supplies are actually dwindling". The work in Vermont "will use cutting-edge analytical methods and experiments to study in great detail the interaction between phosphorus and iron minerals in lake sediment and water of Missisquoi Bay during different times of the year and under fluctuating conditions. In fact, one reason that Missisquoi Bay sediments are ideal for this study is because we have characterized the system's biogeochemistry so thoroughly under RACC. New experiments can be realistically derived from our data collected in the Bay over the past 5 years ".

The CWDD welcomed 19 high school student/teacher teams to the Saint Michael's College campus for a week of research education, stream sampling, and career exploration. Teams traveled from Puerto Rico, and from all around the state of Vermont. Students learned about the EPSCoR program, received hands-on experience with RACC faculty, and were able to participate in a number of Vermont-based activities. Students had the opportunity to either view Lake Champlain up close on a kayaking trip, take a hike at Rock Point to see the Lake and the Champlain thrust fault, or take a trip on UVM's research vessel, the Melosira.

They will spend the next year working on RACC research which will culminate in their presenting their individual projects at the Vermont EPSCoR Student Research Symposium next spring!

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Last year, Lake Erie, one of the US Great Lakes (which contain one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water), experienced its biggest recorded harmful algal bloom. At its peak, the bloom spread some 200 kilometres across most of the lake2. Meanwhile, off the continent's west coast, another record harmful bloom stretched from Baja California in Mexico up to Alaska, probably triggered by unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean3. Both blooms were dominated by species of phytoplankton that produce powerful toxins.

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On July 14, 2016 Professor Declan McCabe from Saint Michael's College and CWDD Research Technician Janel Roberge welcomed four middle/high school teachers to the Saint Mike's Campus for an annual Macroinvertebrate Identification Workshop. As part of the Middle School Outreach Program, these teachers got to learn more about the history of macroinvertebrates in Vermont in addition to practicing their macroinvertebrate identification skills. Of course, they won't soon forget the live giant hellgrammite that Declan caught in a nearby stream before the workshop! In attendance were: Jane Walczykowski from Craftsbury Academy, Pamela Burke from Marlboro School, David Jensen from Camel's Hump Middle School, and Josepha Austin from Burlington High School.